Open data for international development
AidData increases aid transparency by providing tools, visualizations, services, and data related to development finance. more...
About AidData
AidData is an initiative that aims to (a) increase the impact of development assistance by making aid information more transparent and accessible to a wide range of stakeholders, and (b) improve the quality of research on aid allocation and aid effectiveness. AidData provides a searchable database of nearly one million past and present aid activities around the world, aid information management services and tools, data visualization technologies, and research designed to increase understanding of development finance. Currently, the AidData team is working with a wide range of development organizations to collect, visualize, and leverage aid information in ways that will improve development policy, practice, and research.
The information available through the AidData database serves as a platform for testing new ways to make aid information more relevant for different audiences. For example, recent work on geocoding aid can help civil society organizations identify the aid-funded activities that are underway in their communities. AidData’s work supports the efforts of the International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI) by allowing users to download data in IATI format. Additionally, AidData Raw serves as a repository for datasets that have not yet been vetted or that are not appropriate for inclusion in the main AidData database but provide added informational value.
In order to build and maintain the core database of nearly one million aid activities around the world, AidData staff collaborate with partners at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and with individual donor agencies and institutions to gather, standardize, and republish project-level aid information. Outreach to emerging donors and private foundations, which account for a growing share of global aid flows, is an important part of this work. Additional descriptive information is also culled from related documents, making it easier for users to understand how aid funds are being spent.
In addition to the resources it provides to the public, the AidData program provides services for development organizations that require custom solutions for managing or analyzing aid information.
Who we are
AidData is a partnership between Brigham Young University, the College of William and Mary, and a non-profit development organization, Development Gateway. The AidData program is run by an interdisciplinary team comprised of staff from all three institutions, and benefits from the advice and support of a network of experts at partner institutions. The AidData team includes specialists in development, IT, economics, political science, and sociology. For more information about AidData experts and staff, please see the team page.
History of AidData
AidData was formed in 2009 through the merger of two existing programs: Project-Level Aid (PLAID) and Accessible Information on Development Activities (AiDA). PLAID, begun in 2003, was a joint effort between the College of William and Mary and Brigham Young University. It aimed to create a database of development finance activities with granular activity and purpose coding and as much descriptive detail as possible at the project level, for use in the research community. AiDA was established in 2001 by Development Gateway to serve as a current, timely registry of aid activities to improve aid coordination and effectiveness.
Download the AidData Factsheet
Copyright © 2011 AidData
1889 F Street, NW, Second Floor Washington, DC 20006 USA
1889 F Street, NW, Second Floor Washington, DC 20006 USA
